My Role Model

A role model is someone who you look up to for motivation and inspiration. My role model is a man who made medical history. A South African hero. Christiaan Barnard.

Who is Chris Barnard? He is a famous South African heart surgeon. He performed the first successful heart transplant on 3 December 1967. He was(is) born in Beaufort West, Cape Province in South Africa on 8 November 1922. He died on 2 September 2001. This made him 78 years old. He received many awards and has a hospital named after him. The hospital is "Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital" in Cape Town.

Why is he my role model? My dream job is to become a cardiologist. He inspires and motivates me to do my best.   I want to save lives. I want to help people. Because of Chris Barnard, millions of lives were saved in 47 years. I want to follow his path. Chris studied at the University of Cape Town and I want to study there.

Chris isn't my only motivation. My father has a heart disease. In 2008, he was in hospital. I was scared. When I saw him, I wanted to help him. My goal in life is to heal many people as well as my father. Chris lost one of his brothers when he was 5. He died from heart disease. Was his brother his inspiration?

The heart surgery wasn't his only achievement. He did many things as a doctor. He did the first kidney transplant in South Africa and also found many cures. He wasn't just a heart doctor he was all-rounded. This man was a genius. He is Christiaan Barnard, my role model!